Mission Critical Data: Field Data Collection is vital in several businesses. For instance, it is especially mission-critical in utility industries such as Oil and Gas or Electricity supply. This is because the very design of the operations spread across large geographical areas emphasizes the field nature of the business. Moreover, oil and Gas businesses involve massive and complex infrastructure like wells, refineries, distribution stations, and the extensive network of pipelines that connect all these assets. Also, this implies the need for keen oversight through meticulous and regular field data collection. This post will talk about the importance of Mobile Data Collection Apps and why they are significant in today’s evolving business scenario.
To explore this topic, we will examine the following themes:
- What does such Data Collection usually involve?
- Manual Data Collection Challenges
- The Significance of Mobile Data collection Apps and how they can benefit companies
Field Data Collection: In the Oil and Gas industry, field data is collected for various purposes, from inspecting the condition of assets to logging in data related to materials, processing, inventory, etc. Inspections form a vital part of field data collection. Inspectors gather data on assets from pipelines and valves to machinery, fleet vehicles, and even offshore remote drilling facilities. Depending on the inspected assets, the data collection typically includes details on physical condition, consumables, repairs needed, parts replacements required, action items from previous inspections, etc. And this information must be consolidated and shared with relevant departments and teams for action, update, and decisions.
Manual Data Collection Challenges: Traditional methods of field data gathering include physical forms, pencils, cameras, checklists, SOP manuals, etc. And that’s how many organizations have been collecting data for decades. Unfortunately, it poses several challenges at the micro and macro level. Some of these include problems at the point of data collection, such as
- Inaccurate data capture on paper forms, which directly impacts data quality
- Illegible notes or forms that are submitted with missing information, making data entered into the system incomplete
- Loss of physical data collection sheets either at the site or in transit; a chronic and long-standing challenge faced by several organizations
- Inconvenience for inspectors carrying tons of paper along with their SOPs, cameras, and other inspection tools; which impacts performance and morale
- The additional hassles, risks, and fatigue associated with inspections in very remote locations
At the macro level, these challenges translate into data processing issues:
- Forms collected can pile up because central back-office data entry teams are already coping with backlog sheets.
- Errors can creep in because even correctly entered data on the paper forms can be inaccurately entered into the system causing data mismatch and inaccuracy.
- Forms are often damaged or lost in storage, resulting in small gaps of information that grow over time into significant data problems.
There is also the challenge of managing such manual data entry’s cost and operational weight. Finally, the data collected is rarely processed fast enough to consolidate meaningful interpretation and action. For instance, a valve repair job that needs immediate attention can be ignored because of this delay, turning it into a crisis that could have been avoided if data had been shared on a timely basis.
But things are changing now, and discerning companies are adopting mobile data collection apps to make the process easier, faster, and more transparent.
Mobile Data Collection Apps: Technology platforms like Fielda enable companies to significantly streamline the inspection and field data collection process. Here’s how Fielda makes it happen:
Custom forms and workflow: Operations teams can design forms the way they need, creating simple menus and checkboxes to capture data according to the specific devices, assets, and infrastructure being inspected. Depending on their unique organizational processes, they can design workflows to share information between inspection teams, service teams, technicians, transport staff, and management teams as needed. With the Fielda Mobile data Collection App, silo data access can also be enabled so that teams view and act on information relevant to them instead of being consumed by information overload.
Digital Convenience: When inspectors and field staff are in remote locations, traveling large distances, or dealing with high-risk or remote areas, stress and fatigue are vital elements that come into play, often causing data capture errors. With Fielda, all they need is a mobile device, and the data capture can be done with just a few clicks. Photographs, video evidence, data logging, document upload, status updates; all this can be done with the convenience of a simple digital interface making the whole process easier, faster, and less taxing on staff.
Significant cost savings: Mobile Data Collection Apps also make field operations budget-friendly. With the entire manual data entry process being eliminated, all data integration happens in real-time and is securely stored on the cloud. This makes decision-making faster and more efficient and enables financial benefits, which are both significant and long-term.
Mobile Data Collection Apps – The Future of Field Data Collection: With these advantages making work easier for field staff and management teams, it’s clear that Mobile Data Collection Apps are here to stay. They realize benefits in operational efficiency, cost savings, and time. Besides, they also improve workforce morale, a critical factor in enabling the productivity of the organization and positively impacting market performance. In addition, Fielda’s no-code platform makes this digital approach straightforward for utility companies where field data is a pivotal part of operations.
Transforming Business: With customizable forms and workflows, and secure cloud data storage, Fielda enhances every aspect of operations for improved ROI. Talk to us to discover how we have helped several utility companies rationalize their field operations with our disruptive mobile data collection app. We will be happy to understand your business requirements, schedule a demo and discuss how Fielda can enable the digital transformation your business needs.
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